“How's business for you these
days?” Athena asked, loading a box with his order.
“I can't complain, although I must
commend you on getting Dawn's protections up so fast. How did you
find out I was targeting her?” Justin asked.
“It wasn't hard when you let slip
who you were working for last week,” Athena said. “If you're
going to brag don't do it around someone who knows me.”
“The problem with that, Athena
dear, is I don't know of anyone who doesn't at least have a passing
acquaintance with you and your shop,” Justin said. “At least that
moves in the same Circles as we do.”
“That's true enough,” Athena
said. “Trying to get one up on you when we're probably two of the
most powerful in the Circle here is always a challenge.” She turned
and handed him his box.
Justin smiled. “By the way,
Athena. I was just in that coffee shop down the road. The barista in
there was having a very bad day. It seems she spilled chocolate syrup
all over her expensive shoes and managed to spoil seven drinks in a
row,” he said.
Athena raised an eyebrow. “That
sounds like a rotten run of luck. I wonder if she managed to upset
someone.”
“Yes, I wonder,” Justin said. He
winked at her and she grinned. Leave it to Justin to poke his nose
into her business, as usual. “Well, this takes care of my needs for
a while. I'll see you next week.”
“Are you coming to the meeting
Friday?” Athena asked.
Justin made a face. “Of course.
But there we can't be nearly as polite to each other as we can here,
so I'd rather not have to think about that right now,” he said.
She sighed. “Well if you didn't
persist in opposing everything I do we wouldn't have that problem,
now would we?”
“Ah, but I enjoy opposing those
like you who come to this city, Athena,” Justin said. “I've been
doing it for a very long time, after all.”
“As have I, Justin,” Athena
said.
“I know. Which is why you're a
challenge,” he said. He'd have said more, but the door chimed and a
handful of customers wandered in. “Have a lovely day, Athena.”
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